This work involves the isolation and characterization of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall. Emphasis is now being placed on an enzyme adding diaminopimelate to finished peptidoglycan and on the membrane associated enzymes required for peptidoglycan synthesis. The basic approach for studying the membrane enzymes involves the reconstitution of solubilized membranes capable of synthesizing peptidoglycan. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Taku, A., and D. P. Fan. Identification of an isolated protein essential for peptidoglycan synthesis as the N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase. J. Biol. Chem., 251, 6154-6156 (1976).